Controlling processing networks

Abstract

A processing arrangement in an object dependency network, the processing arrangement comprising: a processing node arranged to support process groups and having associated with it an administrative state attribute; a plurality of process groups for support by the processing node, each having a plurality of processes for execution by the processing node and having associated with it an administrative state attribute; and a plurality of processes, each being part of respective one of the process groups and each having associated with it an administrative state attribute: wherein the value of the administrative state attributes of the process groups are dependant on the value of the administrative state attribute of the nodes.

1 . A processing arrangement in an object dependency network, the processing arrangement comprising: 
 a processing node arranged to support process groups and having associated with it an administrative state attribute;    a plurality of process groups for support by the processing node, each having a plurality of processes for execution by the processing node and having associated with it an administrative state attribute; and    a plurality of processes, each being part of a respective one of the process groups and each having associated with it an administrative state attribute;    wherein the value of the administrative state attributes of the process groups are dependant on the value of the administrative state attribute of the nodes.    
     
     
         2 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the value of the administrative state attribute of each process is dependant on the value of the administrative state attribute of the process group of which the process is a part.  
     
     
         3 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein 
 each administrative state attribute is capable of having three values: 
 a first value indicative of continued processing,  
 a second value indicative of ongoing termination, and  
 a third value indicative of completed termination.  
   
     
     
         4 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the processing node is arranged to: 
 on receiving an instruction to terminate, set the administrative state attributes of the process groups to the third value;    each processing group is arranged to:    on its administrative state attribute being set to the third value, set the administrative state attributes of all of its processes to the third value; and    and each process is arranged to:    on its administrative state attribute being set to the third value terminate ongoing tasks of that process.    
     
     
         5 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the processing node is arranged to: 
 on receiving an instruction to terminate without interrupting service, set the administrative state attributes of the process groups to the second value; and    on the administrative state attributes of all the process groups being set to the third value, set its administrative state attribute to the third value;    each processing group is arranged to:    on its administrative state attribute being set to the second value, set the administrative state attributes of all of its processes to the second value; and    on the administrative state attributes of all of its processes being set to the third value, set its administrative state attribute to the third value;    and each process is arranged to:    on its administrative state attribute being set to the second value, await completion of ongoing tasks of that process and then set its administrative state attribute to the third value.    
     
     
         6 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein during normal operation all the each administrative state attributes have the first value.  
     
     
         7 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein each task is a service request.  
     
     
         8 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the processing node is arranged to accept no further tasks for processing when its administrative state attribute is set to the second value or the third value.  
     
     
         9 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein there is a dependency arrangement and a reverse dependency arrangement between the administrative state attribute of the node and the administrative state attributes of the process groups.  
     
     
         10 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein there is a dependency arrangement and a reverse dependency arrangement between the administrative state attribute of the process groups and the administrative state attributes of all of its processes.  
     
     
         11 . A processing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  comprising a plurality of such nodes connected as a cluster.  
     
     
         12 . A method for terminating operation of a processing node in an object dependency network, the processing node being arranged to execute process groups and having associated with it an administrative state attribute, each process group having a plurality of processes and having associated with it an administrative state attribute; each process being part of a respective one of the process groups and each having associated with it an administrative state attribute; wherein each administrative state attribute is capable of having three values: 
 a first value indicative of continued processing,    a second value indicative of ongoing termination, and    a third value indicative of completed termination;    and the method comprising:    receiving at the processing node an instruction to terminate;    setting the administrative state attributes of the process groups to the second value;    in response to the administrative state attribute of each processing group being set to the second value, setting the administrative state attributes of all of its processes to the second value;    in response to the administrative state attribute of each process being set to the second value, awaiting completion of ongoing tasks of that process and then setting its administrative state attribute to the third value.    in response to the administrative state attributes of all its processes being set to the third value, setting the administrative state attribute of each process group to the third value; and    in response to the administrative state attributes of all the process groups being set to the third value, setting the administrative state attribute of the node to the third value.